Foster Farms fined for untreated chicken wastewater release

KELSO, Wash. (AP) — The Washington Department of Ecology has fined Foster Farms in Kelso $44,000 for releasing untreated chicken processing wastewater to a treatment plant.

The Three Rivers Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant was overwhelmed by the volume of the waste and some of it reached the Columbia River.

State water regulations require Foster Farms to pretreat its wastewater before sending it to the plant.

State officials say the processing facility also was at fault for failing to report the release in a timely manner.

Foster Farms has 30 days to appeal the fine to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.